Chengdu

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The view from our hotel window--hazy and a stark contrast to the interior of our room

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Walking around the Wenshu monastery.

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a small pagoda on the monastery grounds

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roof detail

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this woman was hauling concrete across the gardens in this wheelbarrow over and over again. Notice the sweater! Others were in blazers, all laborers seemed to dress up compared to western standards.

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shrubbery pagoda

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a forest made of jade

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interesting sculpture

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These guys wanted to take Bill's picture, so he took their picture too. Neither understood why the other would want such a photo.

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Bikes carry the most improbable loads in China

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big boxes

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Street scene. Many streets in Chengdu had separate bike/pedestrian lanes such as these.

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Lotsa bikes

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An impromptu market had been set up on a pedestrian overpass above a major road. This woman was knitting and trying to sell turtles, rabbits, and other critters.

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Overlooking Tianfu Square, Mao is constantly waving to everyone in sight.

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Example of a Chinese bus

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Walking around People's Park, a beautiful green space in the center of town.

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Bill desperately wanted a rooster balloon but Giselle wouldn't let him steal one from a little girl--so he took a picture instead.

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There were beautiful flowers throughout People's Park, but apparently the tradition in this area of China is to decorate with potted flowers, rather than planting them into the ground.

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Reading the newspaper

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Bill with the giant flower peacock

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Better view of the peacock with his tail

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Giselle and the flowery lion

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Koi pond in People's Park.

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The fish certainly want whatever it is he's feeding them!

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In addition to buying normal food, you could buy a baby bottle on a dowel filled with some other kind of koi food. The fish didn't seem to care as much for it, but it sure looked funny!

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Plentiful fish.

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Teeming with fish.

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a big tea-kettle-fountain

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flower dragon sculpture

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roar!

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Little girl and a waterfall

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some guy and 2 waterfalls

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fruit tricycle

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Happy lion guarding a pagoda. We learned that, in general, the female lions are standing on (protecting??) baby lions, while the male lions generally are standing with a little soccer ball. And here we've always thought that some of them just liked squashing frogs.

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Walking around Wuhou Shrine. Giselle's waiting for Bill to stop taking pictures

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Fanciest trash can in town.

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Wuhou Shrine doorway

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lion detail

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faces on roof tiles

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Stout Steed

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Merry Monk

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Twisty Tree

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Boisterous Bonsai-Builders

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The whole menagerie

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stonework path detail

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stone and moss walkway

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Serious incense

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The map called this road the "Street of Famous Snack." We were able to resist since we were on our way to a hotpot restaurant... but there were some interesting snacks here.

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Snacks in progress

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Butterfly

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Motorin' across the water

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Honk Honk!

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a delicate dance

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A beautiful green space in the park around Du Fu's Cottage.

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Inscription that we couldn't read

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Sculptures of poets

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Another poet

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Fishing

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Run!

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Taking a rest

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Trying to fit

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Our room at the Tianfu Sunshine Hotel

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Chengdu Airport, on our way to Lijiang!